Šumava National Park: A Guide to the 50 Most Beautiful Spots in the Mountain Region

Šumava National Park — one of Central Europe's oldest mountain ranges — offers travelers glacial lakes, ancient forests, peat bogs and stunning viewpoints. The area was first granted protected landscape status back in 1963, and in 1991 it was transformed into a national park. To this day, it continues to inspire writers and tourists alike with its rugged beauty.

According to a regional guide, these very landscapes once featured in the novels and stories of Czech writer Karel Klostermann, as well as Austrian poet and novelist Adalbert Stifter, who is often called the "poet of Šumava."

The largest natural lake in the Czech Republic is Černé jezero (Black Lake), located right here in Šumava. Meanwhile, Čertovo jezero (Devil's Lake) is the only lake in the region belonging to the Danube basin.

Wildlife enthusiasts should check out the visitor center in Srní, home to a three-hectare wolf enclosure with a suspended observation bridge, allowing visitors to watch the predators in near-natural conditions. At the Kvilda visitor center, guests can observe red deer from a special viewing tower — including during the autumn rutting season.

Camping within the park is legally permitted only at a handful of designated campsites and so-called emergency shelters for overnight stays — an important point for anyone planning a multi-day hike.

The highest settlement in Šumava is Filipova Huť, sitting at an elevation of 1,093 meters above sea level. Notable cultural landmarks include the Hauswald Chapel, a small chapel and memorial marking the site of the vanished village of Zhůří, and the so-called "boards of the dead" in Kochánov — an ancient burial tradition unique to the region.

Special mention goes to Boubín Virgin Forest (Boubínský prales) — the largest surviving primeval forest in Central Europe, home to individual trees as old as 400 years.

Among the park's finest viewpoints are Klostermann's Lookout Tower near Srní, the panoramic view from Černá hora mountain, and the observation tower at the source of the Vltava River. Travelers planning a trip to Šumava are advised to map out their route in advance — factoring in wolf and deer watching, visits to the peat bogs and educational trails, as well as walks to the region's historic sites.

Read also: 8 best swimming spots near Prague: lakes, quarries and beaches within an hour's drive of the capital

Around Prague, based on reporting by kudyznudy.cz